THE INVALIDED COLONIALS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 170, 26 June 1900, Page 2

THE INVALIDED COLONIALS.

TWO PROSPECTIVE V.C.'s. Received 25, 9.25 a.m. ! Melbourne, June 25. The invalided soldiers include! Troopers Morris, New South Wales Lancers, and Trooper Kruger, Westralia, who are recommended for the Victoria Cross. The latter won the distinction in rescuing a wounded lieutenant at Bensburg under a heavy fire, despite the fact that he was himself struck and slightly wounded a couple of times. Morris rescued a fellow-trooper under a galling fire at Arundel, Received 2G, 1.40 a.m. Brisbane, June 25. The Executive of the Patriotic Committee has asked the Government to cable to the officer commanding at the Cape to allow no invalided soldiers to return to Australia until physically fit, wages paid to date, and provided with sufficient clothing and comforts, the Committee meeting any expenses incurred above the recognised amount.

Wellington, June 25. Lieut.-Colonel Newall cables the Premier that the troopers are in excellent hea'th and form ; prospects are very cheering, and they are going forward in the i est of spirits to do battle for the Empire,..

LORD KITCHENER'S NARROW ESCAPE. Wellington, June 25. i When the news arrived of Lord Kitchener's narrow escape from capture by the Boers, the Premier sent him a telegram of congratulation, and lias received a reply from Pretoria " Very grateful for your telegram.— IvITCIJHNEII," AMERICAN TESTIMONY TO BHIIISH ' PLUCK.

In a mcssige concernirg tbenmhisb epulse of Colouel Broad wood's men ft he Blocmfoutein waterworks The ''imes' correspondent, wiitiDg of h tF isit to the crest of a bill near the waterworks, says :—" I retired a phort listance below thocrest, and had vaitfd here ODly a few minuteß wl en a Boer ipp-ui/ed on the top, I was about to gallop off when he called out to me n English to stop, addiDg that he was unarmed and wished to ft peak with me. I accordingly remained ind entered into conversation with liim. Be turned out to bo an American, and assured me that In was accompanying the Boers only as u sightseer, He stated that never in hit life had he witnessed Euch magnificent pluck as was fhown by. our men on Saturday, and he and all the Bom were profoundly touched and filled with nd mi rat ion by the gallant behaviour ol the British troops that fell into the ambush. It appeared from our conversation that the Boers naver doubled thoir ability to capture tha entire Bri tish force, and that they were sirnplj dumbfounded by the courage cur mei displayed and the ra* s'crly ninnner ii which the greater part of the for& contrived ,to extricate themselves fron the death trap. One member of thi Household Cavalry, on being summone< to give up his rifle, threw it with al his force in tho face of the Boer wh< challenged him, felling him to thi ground, and so escaped. Fresh in stances of the pluck shown by th< members of Oolonel Broadwood's for© when they found" themselves caught ii the drift are constantly coming ti light. A gunner responded to thi challenge to surrender by dismounting and ousting down a Boer with Li sabre. He then attacked and wcuadec another, but the next moment he wai shot dead. In the confusion both Boeri and Britons had to shelter under thi waggons from the hail of lead, au< even in such conditions tha li'htioj was continued. One soldier found hiui self so situated umbr a waggon .sid by side with a Boar. Tho lattar evidently regarding tho Englisnman a his prisoner, remarked: f fiib is ho work,' The soldier, however, promptly seizad tho Boer by tho throat, and dashing hi 3 hoad against tha ground Wii Jo good his OKC^ipa."